Piece making

A ZAR1.2 billion auto parts manufacturing plant is to be built near Durban, South Africa.

The Ogihara South Africa plant, a joint venture by auto parts supplier Toyota Tsusho Africa and tool-and-die specialist Ogihara Thailand Corporation, will supply smaller stamped automotive body parts for the locally manufactured Toyota Hilux, Fortuner and Corolla models, reports IOL.

The new plant, to be built in the Dube Tradeport, will need an estimated 25 000 tons of locally procured steel a year, with production set to start in July 2025, according to a report in Engineering News.

‘The inclusion of Ogihara South Africa in our local manufacturing ecosystem will not only create new job opportunities but also enhance our capabilities in producing high-quality body parts for the automotive industry,’ Toyota South Africa president and CEO Andrew Kirby said at the launch of the venture.

‘This joint venture marks a significant step towards our LVA [local value addition] improvement strategy by localising the production of these critical components.’